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Category Archives: England


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Gusbourne: English Sparkling at its finest

For the uninitiated, Gusbourne has been making sparkling wine from their vineyards in the UK’s second warmest location, Appledore, Kent, since 2004. Started by the oenophilic South African surgeon (what is it with doctors and wine obsessions?) Dr Andrew Weeber, whose experience in Stellenbosch led him to cannily spot the viticultural potential of the site, their first vintage was produced in 2006, a mere two years after planting. This early demonstration of the propensity of the site to produce grapes was telling, with their first commercial sale only happening in 2011.

Planted to the classic sparkling grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and (Pinot) Meunier, they make a variety of vintage only blends, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and single varietal still wines, vintage permitting. The 150ish Kent acres of clay on sand has been supplemented by West Sussex chalk and limestone vines. Fermentation takes place in a combination of oak and stainless steel, depending on the parcel and vintage, and spend between 36 -84 months on lees before disgorgement. Dosage varies by vintage and wine. The winemaker, Mary Bridges, who succeeded Charlie Holland in 2020, has been with Gusbourne since leaving uni and with the support from Laura Rhys MS, has definitely found the sweetspot for finding and emphasising the character of the wines and terroir. It is no surprise that Gusbourne has received so many international plaudits for their wines.

The tour and estate explanation was led by the wonderful Will who explained the history, vineyards, clonal varieties, philosophy, key people and, of course, the wines at the tasting. The three-course lunch was expertly prepared and paired with their wines, with generous tastings and pours of seven of their wines (with a sneaky extra two post-lunch). The tour, tasting and lunch package is £120pp, and in my view, rather fantastic value given the quality of the wines, food and the hospitality shown – a must for the wine curious.

Tasting notes

Gusbourne Nest Selection 2021, Magnum

The opener pre-tour.

Very fine bubbles, no mousse. Mid lemon to gold. Nose of brioche with hints of smoky autolysis, cherry, and apricots, maybe cherry confiture and a hint of milk chocolate. Palate of wild cherry, strawberry, baked apple with a long savoury and slightly chalky finish. Absolutely lovely.

Gusbourne Blanc de Noirs 2020 – 65% Pinot Noir, 25% Meunier, 10% Chardonnay, mostly stainless steel tank fermentation, small amount of oak, 36 month lees ageing.

Served in the vineyards. Fine mouse. Bready and biscuit nose of peach, wild cherry, almost Burgundian PN. Palate of tart cherry, slightly underripe strawberry with a chalky residue and leesy texture. Very elegant and fine.

Gusbourne Chardonnay 2024 – 100% Chardonnay, aged in 18% new oak, remainder in neutral puncheons for 9 months, then 9 mths on lees in stainless steel and 100% malolactic fermentation. Only made in vintages deemed appropriate.

Served alongside the BdB 2020. Mid lemon tending to gold. Green and red apple, apricots, green gage, flecks of vanilla and smoke. Palate showed heightened tart acidity, mirroring the nose with apple and apricot dominant flavours with a refreshing medium finish. Needs a couple more years to soften to truly reveal its depth of flavour. Very promising.

Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2020 – 100% Chardonnay, 8% fermented oak, rest in stainless steel, lees aged for 52 months.

Full mousse, pale lemon. Nose of biscuit, brioche, green apple, just ripe apricot, ripe peach. Fabulous acidity and a depth of concentrated apples, pears, apricots. Finish is long if slightly warm. Will age beautifully.

Gusbourne Late Disgorged (LD) 2017 – 68% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir, 7 years on lees.

Mid gold with fine bubbles, small mousse. Very yeasty flinty nose with smoke and ripe yellow plum aromas. Palate of tart citrus, apple, flaky pastry, hints of sultana and yellow plum. Absolutely beautiful balance, very very long and pleasing perfect finish. Super wine.

Note: The LD wines are actually the wines that do not make the 51 Degree North, the late disgorged top wines, due to some taste characteristic that ‘sticks out’. A pretty awesome reject!!

Gusbourne Rosé 2020 – 59% Chardonnay, 29% PN, 12% Meunier, fermented in oak barrels and lees aged for 56 months.

Salmon pink with gold reflections, no mousse. Nose of sweet citrus and yellow apple, sweet lemon (lollipop), with yeasty autolytic smokiness, really beautiful, possibly a hint of bruised apple. Palate so perfectly balanced between the acidity, bubbles and a savoury fruit character with medium+ body and great depth. A real gastronomic wine that paired amazingly with the dessert of deconstructed lemon meringue pie with basil oil. A fantastic Rosé sparkler that I would be proud to pair and serve.

Gusbourne Fifty One Degree North 2016 – 67% Chardonnay, 33% PN, fermented in old oak (21%) and stainless steel, lees aged for 72 months.

Pale lemon, no mousse,  No obvious stand out aromas besides hints of lemon verbena. The palate is just one long experience of flavours, nothing sticking out, balanced by the perfect wrapping of acidity leading to a multi-minute long finish. Absolutely incredible. Reminiscent of Dom Pergignon P2 and right up there with the finest late disgorged wines. RRP of £195/btl which competes fairly with elite LD/RD wines.

Gusbourne Oak Reserve 2019 – A nod to Bolly! 100% Chardonnay, 50% fermented  in large oak foudres and 50% puncheons and barriques. Lees aged 33 months.

Gold hue, slightly oxi smoky nose, lemon verbena, apples, peach, nuts and sweet vanilla. Palate of riper fruit, apples, peaches and good body from oak fermentation, with acidity keeping it all in balance. An almost sticky back of throat (retronasal) very long finish. Beautiful.


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Albury Organic Vineyard leaf stripping and green harvest volunteer day.

Nestled below woodland on the gentle slopes of the Surrey Hills is Albury Organic Vineyard.

The dynamic Alex Valsecchi manages the estate with her team where they grow organically, biodynamically and use regenerative viticulture practices to make wine as sustainably and environmentally friendly as they can.

Alex admits that she and Nick Wenman, the owner, must be ‘a bit mad’ to take on the challenge of growing wine in this way in the damp and fickle English climate.

But really what they’re doing is showing just what amazing results can be achieved when you have a vision (no doubt determination and a lot of hard work come into it too!).

On a sunny day the vineyards are idyllic. A carpet of flowering clovers, herbs, legumes, orchids, yarrows, grasses and even wild strawberries, which are all native to the chalk hills of Surrey, has been allowed to colonise the space between the vine rows.

This along with a wildlife pond and wild flower meadow creates a diversity of habitats for beneficial insects and wildlife. 

By having diverse plants with their roots in the ground and by using only light tillage, Alex’s aim has also been to improve soil health and biodiversity below ground.

All this is on London’s doorstep and Albury welcome volunteers through the season to help out in the vineyard and experience it all first hand.

I spent a day in July helping leaf strip and green harvest in the newest section of the vineyard. Planted in 2022 these young vines need this type of tough love to strengthen them up for the future.

I can thoroughly recommend joining in and there’s a refreshing glass of Seyval Blanc fizz (tasting note bellow) and some lunch to keep you going. Harvest will most likely be in the first two weeks of October and will be an amazing opportunity to get in involved. You can sign up on their website.

Albury Estate Seyval Blanc 2021

Very pale, with fine bubbles. Blossom, hawthorn, jasmine, lemon verbena, green and yellow apple, pear, quince, thyme and a lovely touch of biscuit and croissant. Crisp acidity but rounded out by the apple & pastry flavours which linger nicely. Invigorating and Refreshing at a pleasing 11%.

I didn’t try Attila’s bite, she was at the vet!


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Gusbourne Estate, Kent, Premium English Sparkling

Perched on the edge of the old Saxon shoreline in Appledore, Kent, Gusbourne Estate makes a compelling argument for the quality and potential of English wine. With 60 hectares under vine here and another 30 in West Sussex, Gusbourne has focused on a clear ambition since planting its first vines in 2004: to produce vintage wines of the highest calibre using only estate-grown fruit.

The vineyards are planted with Burgundian clones of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, varieties well suited to the region’s unique microclimates. Yields are deliberately kept low, resulting in grapes of concentration and character. These form the foundation of a range that includes both still and sparkling wines, all made using traditional methods with a low-intervention ethos that carries through from vine to bottle.

A visit to the estate offers more than a picturesque setting. The winery tour is well-structured and informative, culminating in a tasting that includes the rare opportunity to sample base wines before moving on to the finished sparklers. This provides a valuable insight into the effects of lees ageing, adding texture and biscuity complexity, and how dosage lifts the bright citrus notes that are a hallmark of the house style.

Among a strong portfolio, the Blanc de Blancs 2018 stands out for its precision and poise. It’s joined by a limited series of museum releases and small-batch cuvées, including vintage Blanc de Meunier, all reinforcing Gusbourne’s position at the premium end of the market. The still wines, notably the Guinevere Chardonnay, demonstrate real depth and finesse, and make a persuasive case that 51 degrees north is no longer a viticultural outlier.

Thanks to WSET for organising the visit.